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SAN ANTONIO (Sept. 22, 2017) – Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced $1.75 million of federal funding from the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for VIA Metropolitan Transit. VIA will use the funding to replace diesel buses with battery electric buses in San Antonio.

“San Antonio’s adoption of low-emission busses will improve our city’s air quality and help keep public transportation resilient and accessible,” Rep. Joaquin Castro said. “Shifting to this cleaner technology benefits both the environment and public health. With this funding, I’m glad that our city will be a national leader in sustainable transit.”

This funding comes from the Fiscal Year 2017 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Low or No Emission Grant program, also known as the “Low-No Program.” The main purpose of the Low-No Program is to support the transition of the nation’s transit fleet to the lowest polluting and most energy efficient transit vehicles. The Low-No Program provides funding to state and local governmental authorities for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, including acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities.

“We are grateful for this grant that will help support VIA’s ongoing conversion from diesel to an alternative-fueled fleet,” VIA President/CEO Jeffrey C. Arndt said. “A cleaner, ‘greener’ VIA fleet powered by electric and compressed natural gas vehicles, is where the rubber meets the road for our commitment to build a more sustainable transit system.”

This year, the Federal Transit Authority authorized $55 million under the Low-No Program for 20 projects to purchase or lease low- or no-emission vehicles and related equipment or facilities. In 2016, the program received applications for 101 projects requesting a total of $446 million.